Linkage
by ReaperLuca
Summary: "Hey..." Mikoto stared up into the clouds she laid on the ground, the grass brushing against her arms. She closed her eyes as a soft sigh escaped her, "Is it possible to fall in love with someone you always believed to only be a friend?"
1. Chapter 1

Future fic, A.U.

I don't know much about the Index light novels though I am slowly reading through them now hence the A.U. I am slowing reading the novels right now though. On volume 14 right now.

Mikoto is a Junior in HS, Kuroko a sophomore. and Saten & Uiharu attend A Certain Highschool. Touma is here as well.

Also this is a Mikoto/Kuroko fic. There's a lack of stories for these two princesses and my shipper heart just wouldn't allow me to sit tight without writing _something_at least. Note since this is a future fic Mikoto and co have grown up a little.

(rewrote the chapter a little, hopefully it flows a bit better now)

X

_Part 1_

_Saturday, August 15th, 10:23a.m._

The form of Shirai Kuroko seemingly disappeared from sight only to reappear more than 80 meters away from the original spot.

"Uiharu, stay on the alert and be prepared to contact Anti-Skill on my signal," Kuroko stated in a clear, authoritative voice as she teleported from building to building in a manner of seconds. Her hair was free of its usual pigtails causing it to occasionally whip across her face, which she found a bit of a nuisance but not enough to distract her from her goal.

She landed on the ledge of a three story high building before turning and flipping backwards. She landed gently her feet a few meters away from the area where the criminals were seen.

Kuroko sighed as she swept her hair back before taking a deep breath and taking off in a sprint.

For the past several days there had been reports of a gang of Skill-Out members robbing convenience stores and looting vending machines. The only reason that they had not been caught is because they've somehow been able to completely disappear without a trace.

Through some unethical practices from Kuroko-_who thoroughly "questioned" a supposed friend of the gang_-and Uiharu-_who had hacked into the surrounding cameras in the area of the last robbery_-they were able to figure out where the gang was hiding out.

After a day of surveillance, Kuroko felt that they were prepared to go in.

While normally Kuroko was able to keep a level head when it came to these matters, she couldn't help but feel a bit edgy today. And it had a lot to do with the fact that Onee-sama had been acting strange for the past week.

Though she tried her best to keep her personal and professional life separate, when it came to her Onee-sama she found herself unable to completely block the older girl out, even at times like these.

Kuroko was a little scared that she was letting her feelings get in the way of doing her job properly but she couldn't help feeling a bit worried about her Onee-sama, which was understandable.

Pushing those thoughts away, Kuroko continued on, her expression not once betraying her emotions. She turned the last corner to the alleyway while slipping her armband on, preparing to announce her usual "This is Judgment," only to stop prematurely at the sparks of electricity that flickered in the air.

Kuroko frowned at the familiar scene. Onee-sama was once again surrounded by the unconscious bodies of thugs.

As if sensing her there, Mikoto turned towards her with her usual bored expression in place. However once Mikoto realized it was her, the expression shifted as a spark of warmth went through brown eyes before a smile bloomed on her face, "Kuroko, hey."

If Kuroko were not so irritated she would have been charmed.

"Again, Onee-sama…?" Kuroko couldn't even find it in herself to be completely angry with the older girl. She straightened up from the slump she unceremoniously found herself in and placed her hands on her hips.

"How many times do I have to say that dealing with the criminals of Academy City is Judgment and Anti-Skill's job before you stop doing this," Kuroko sighed as she walked over to Mikoto, who only smiled at her sheepishly.

"It's not like I asked for them to attack me."

Kuroko's expression soured, "That is beyond the point…." she cut herself off when she noticed Mikoto wasn't paying attention and was instead looking at her phone, "Onee-sama!"

"What are you doing today?" Mikoto asked suddenly as she looked up from her phone and grinned at her, "Want to go out?"

Eyes widening, Kuroko found herself momentarily floored at just how nonchalant Mikoto was acting. All the fight drained out of her as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Uiharu.

X

Kuroko released a long sigh as she and Mikoto walked down the street.

"That's the third time you've sighed in the past five minutes. I said I was sorry, didn't I?" Mikoto's voice was sincere as she kept pace with Kuroko, keeping her eyes steadily trained on the younger girl, "Kuroko-"

"It is fine, Onee-sama," Kuroko stopped so that she could look Mikoto in the eye, "Everything has been taken care of. Please do not concern yourself with it any longer."

Mikoto placed her hand on her hip and slung her bag over her shoulder, "Then why are you still mad at me?"

"I am not upset."

"You definitely are. You haven't even lectured me yet."

Kuroko glowered, "There is no point in lecturing someone who never listens," she pressed her finger into Mikoto's chest, "However, I will say that what you did _was_ reckless. You are powerful, Onee-sama, but those criminals have been able to evade capture for the past week. One of them may have had a hidden ability. "

Mikoto's lips curled into an amused smile, "It kind sounds like you're lecturing me," she stated dryly a she ran a hand through her hair before stepping even closer to Kuroko, "And what about you?" her voice lowered as her eyes narrowed, "Were you planning on taking all those guys on by yourself?"

"Of _course_not!" Kuroko frowned, "I had Anti-Skill on standby."

"And how long would it have taken for them to get there? More importantly, if you had gotten in a bind how would you have called for help?" Mikoto held her chin up as pride sparkled in her eyes, "It was a lot easier for me to just take care of them, right?."

Kuroko gritted her teeth as the feeling of annoyance grew, "What Onee-sama seems to conveniently forget is that I am a Judgment member. Possibly sustaining injuries is part of the job."

"Oh, so you want to get hurt?"

"You are missing the point entirely!"

A familiar ringtone drew their attention away from each other and onto the sound. Kuroko took a deep breath before answering the call with a low, "Hello?"

Kuroko listened for a few seconds before her expression shifted, "Yes, this is Shirai. Tell me the situation…"

Mikoto sighed as Kuroko walked away from her, the girl completely immersed her new conversation. She raised a finger to her temple and lightly scratched, unsure how she could fix this without angering Kuroko further.

Eyes drifting shut in concentration, Mikoto pondered on why she even cared to put forth so much effort considering the amount of times she and Kuroko had had this argument and gotten over it in a matter of days.

It probably had a lot to do with the conversation she had with Touma a week ago -

"Onee-sama, I must head back to the office to take care of an urgent matter," Kuroko stated as she shut her phone while turning towards her, "We shall continue this conversation later."

"Fine," Mikoto muttered as she huffed before looking off to the side. She felt something prick at her heart when Kuroko merely shook her head at her before teleporting away.

Mikoto glared at a random street vendor before sighing and ruffling her hair. She held her hand over her eye as her shoulders drooped.

She stood in the middle of the sidewalk unmoving for a few minutes before dropping her hand and sliding it into her pocket. She pulled out her cell and called the only person she could talk to about her current predicament.

"Hey, Touma? Do you have a second?"

X

"So what you're saying," Touma's eyes shone of disapproval," is that instead of telling Shirai about your feelings, you decided to butt in her investigation, start a fight with a bunch of guys and then argue with her about it."

"Well, when you say it like that it just sounds bad," Mikoto twirled her straw around her glass of coconut soda slowly, palm resting against her cheek.

Touma released a long sigh, "_Honestly_Mikoto…"

"I know, I know!" she lowered her head to the table tiredly, "You don't have to tell me."

The two sat across from each other in a small booth at a certain restaurant in the city where they had been meeting infrequently since Mikoto had turned fifteen. Over the past two years they spent some time getting to know each other.

At first it was hard for Mikoto. After all, she had been in love with Touma. However Touma had barely shown any romantic interest in her and when he did it was always offhanded comments that ended up sounding a lot more insulting than the boy probably intended.

Once she realized that her feelings would go nowhere, she was content with simply loving him from afar. However, after spending time with him, she realized just how ill-suited he was for her.

At that acknowledgement, she began treating him like a regular friend, which she noticed he seemed to appreciate a lot more than the way she acted around him before.

Touma rested his cheek against his palm, "Even after all this time, you still refuse to be honest with yourself, Mikoto," he pointed out, not unkindly.

Mikoto's frowned as she fell silent, her eyes drawing shut.

There, in the quiet, dimly lit restaurant with the boy she once loved, she thought back to her realization nearly a week ago.

X

_A Certain Pair of Roommates Apartment Complex_

_August 7__th__, 9:42 a.m._

It had been a normal day for Mikoto. She had woken up a half past noon in the spacious apartment that she shared with her kouhai like any other Saturday.

Though their private academy had dorms that were perfectly suitable for any student, Mikoto preferred living in an apartment due to the fact that she was less likely to run into any devoted fangirls-_minus the one who was living with her._

Kuroko may have toned down her antics since entering high school but that's probably how Mikoto would always view her, even though it was more in an affectionate manner than an annoyed one.

After all, Kuroko was her best friend. That's why when Kuroko was accepted into her academy, Mikoto suggested she move in, something which Kuroko readily agreed on.

Since the apartment-_which was more like a condo-_came with two bedrooms it afforded Mikoto with the privacy she needed to feel at ease, though with Kuroko's ability she didn't get to indulge in that privacy as often as she would have liked…

"Kuroko," Mikoto yawned as she walked out of her room and into the living room, rubbing her stomach from under her shirt, "Do we have any-"

Kuroko handed Mikoto a glass of milk before Mikoto had the chance to finish her sentence as she strode by her. Mikoto watched curiously as Kuroko scribbled on her notepad before walking over to the glass table situated in the middle of the room and sitting down.

"Thanks," Mikoto took a sip of her drink, "What are you working on?"

Releasing a small sigh, Kuroko set the pad down and turned to look at her, "Just some notes for this case. The situation is growing a bit out of hand and I am trying to figure out a solution without resorting to unsavory means."

Mikoto hummed as she chugged the rest of her milk before setting it on the kitchen counter and walking over to where Kuroko was. She sat next to her before resting her head on her arms and smiling up Kuroko, "It's fine and all that you're working so hard, but don't stress yourself out too much, okay?" she reached up so that she could press her finger against Kuroko's forehead, "It wouldn't do anyone good if you got sick."

A small blush shaded Kuroko's cheeks at the sudden yet not unexpected concern, "I know…" she murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips, "Thank you for worrying about me, Onee-sama."

For some reason, Mikoto felt her face heat up; she slowly lowered her finger, "A-ah, it's no problem, really," she stuttered before returning the smile.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Mikoto reached forward once more so that she could brush a few strands of auburn hair back, her thumb gently stroking across Kuroko's temple.

"Onee-sama…?"

Mikoto's eyes widened comically as if she just realized what she did, "Sorry!" she laughed awkwardly as she stood up, palming the back of her neck as she turned away from the table and stretched, "man, I must have slept weird or something, my neck hurts," she quickly changed the subject as she made her way to the dining room table.

Lately things between them had been confusing. There were moments where they would stare at each other for too long or Mikoto would find herself touching Kuroko unnecessarily; even more confusing the times when Mikoto would find herself responding to Kuroko's advances, wanting more. Mikoto sighed, feeling weary all of the sudden.

_Why am I acting so weird?_

She felt eyes pierce her back but thankfully Kuroko said nothing more than "Right…" before making her way over to where Mikoto was standing.

Neither of them spoke for a moment before Kuroko placed her hand on the small of Mikoto's back and rested her head against her shoulder, "I made breakfast. Make sure to each everything."

Mikoto felt herself lean into the touch, "Hah, don't I always?"

"Hmm," Kuroko eyed her in amusement, "I seem to recall Onee-sama suspiciously depositing what appeared to be the cup of tempura I prepared in the garbage yesterday."

"Geh-" Mikoto could practically feel a sweat drop rolling down her cheek as she blushed in embarrassment and looked up towards the ceiling, "Uh…I don't remember doing that."

Kuroko sighed, "Honestly, Onee-sama is such a child sometimes," she smiled softly as she moved to face her, her palms gently brushing against her sides.

She placed her hand on Mikoto's cloth covered stomach while fixing her with a stern gaze, "It is important to have a fully balanced meal."

"What are you, my mother?" Mikoto felt her face heat up and her stomach tense from the gentle caress. She swallowed thickly before stepping back so that Kuroko's hand would fall.

"Fine," she shakily ran her palm through her hair as she walked over to the dining table, "I'll eat everything on my plate. Promise."

"That is all I am asking Onee-sama," Kuroko pulled her apron off and set it on the counter, "Enjoy your breakfast. I am heading to the office to continue working."

Mikoto looked up from her meal, "Hm? Aren't you eating?" she asked as she picked up her bowl of rice and chopsticks, "There's too much here for just me."

Kuroko smiled, moved by Mikoto's concern, "I am fine, Onee-sama. I already ate before you woke up…" she trailed off before smirking mischievously, making Mikoto immediately suspicious.

"What is-K-kuroko!" Mikoto's cheeks turned pink as Kuroko disappeared from sight only to land on her lap and nuzzle her neck affectionately.

"Of course, I would not mind having Onee-sama as an afternoon snack~"

"Don't get your hopes up, kid," Mikoto stated dryly as she picked up a tempura with her chopstick and popped it in her mouth, seemingly unconcerned by Kuroko's actions. At least that's how it looked to Kuroko. Inside Mikoto felt her stomach clench as her kouhai's legs softly brushed against hers.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to stay calm, _What is wrong with me?_

"Mou, Onee-sama is so cruel," Kuroko whined as she moved back so that she could pout at her.

"Yeah, yeah," Mikoto blushed a little when she noticed Kuroko smiling at her adoringly. She looked away, "Shouldn't you get going? Konori-senpai will scold you if you're late right?"

Kuroko did as she asked with no argument.

X

_August 7__th__, 12:15 p.m._

"Ah, having a pretty girl cook you breakfast every morning and dote on you; Misaka-san is living the high life while the rest of us suffer in misfortune."

"I really don't want to hear that from a guy who always seems to have beautiful foreign women hanging around him," Mikoto glared at Touma from the corner of her eye as they walked down the street together.

Touma released a heavy sigh, "Trust me when I say it's nothing to feel fortunate about."

Mikoto rolled her eyes in amusement, "Whatever," she muttered before smiling back at him, "Speaking of which, how is Index-san?"

"Eh, she's in France now with a few of our friends," Touma felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips, "She'll be back in a few days."

"Hmm…" Mikoto smirked as she stared straight ahead, "You must miss her since you usually go with her when she heads out of the country."

"I don't miss the dent she puts in my wallet."

Mikoto laughed as the continued walking down the street, their conversation dissolving into small talk. They were heading to see a movie, something they both enjoyed doing on occasion because it gave them a chance to relax and watch other people having to fight for their lives.

They rounded the corner where the theater was.

"Man, it's so hot," Mikoto raised her arms up and stretched before placing her hands behind her neck, "We should get some ice cream when we're-huh? Touma?" Mikoto frowned as she ran into his back, "What's the big deal-"

"Isn't that Shirai?"

"Huh?" Mikoto turned to where Touma was looking and instantly recognized the familiar twin pigtails of her roommate. Something in her warmed and for some reason she felt embarrassed, suddenly remembering their earlier conversation.

"I thought you said she was working."

Mikoto glanced over in confusion, "She is…" she trailed off when she noticed that Kuroko was standing close and speaking with a pretty brunette girl Mikoto had never seen before.

Her eyes widened as something in her chest clenched.

"If that's work then where do I sign up to be a Judgment member," Touma joked with a grin. They continued watching as Kuroko and the other girl talked for a few minutes before Kuroko leaned up to kiss the brunette on the cheek.

Mikoto's stomach dropped.

"Do you know her, Mikoto-" Touma paused when he noticed her expression, eyes widening in surprise at the irritation he could see painted clearly on her face. He suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Um…Misaka-san…"

"It's such a nice day out, let's walk around some more!" Mikoto suddenly said, an annoyed smile on her face as she turned on her heel, an air anger surrounding her as she stomped off.

Touma sweat dropped, "Eh? But the movie…" he pointed across the street.

"Let's go!"

His shoulders drooped, "Fukou da," he sighed as he watched her go with a frown, "Guess we're not seeing that movie today after all."

_x_


	2. Chapter 2

On volume 19 of the Index Novels (they're so good!) and I've read through the Liberty Arts City arc for the Railgun side story which will most likely be animated for Railgun S (the second season of Railgun for all those who don't know). Also reading through the Russian demonstration arc which is another Railgun side story set before Mikoto met Uiharu and Saten.

Anyways thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy.

.

_._

_._

_August 7__th__, 12:27pm_

Try as she might, Mikoto couldn't get the image of Kuroko kissing that other girl out of her mind. Even though it was only a peck on the cheek, it was uncharacteristic for her kouhai to show affection to anyone other than herself.

She sighed a little as she gazed off towards the side; _why do I even care?_ she wondered as her shoulders dropped. Her heart was heavy and her stomach uneasy; she felt like she was going to throw up and she just didn't understand _why. _This should be a good thing. Kuroko moving on from her was a _good _thing.

So why did she feel so troubled?

"Mikoto?"

Mikoto blinked at the call of her name before turning and giving Touma a small smile, "Yeah?" her voice was quiet as she answered him.

Touma frowned at her, "Your ice cream is melting."

"Oh-_oh_! Crap," Mikoto switched the cone to her other hand and shook the wet one frantically before reaching into her skirt pocket and pulling out a handkerchief. She paused, suddenly remembering that the cloth she was about to use belonged to Kuroko.

She clenched the handkerchief in her fist before lowering her hand and closing her eyes, _why was Kuroko with that other girl?_

Mikoto felt Touma's gaze steadily trained on her and dreaded the question she knew was coming.

Before he got the chance to ask, she beamed at him gratefully, "Thanks for hanging out with me today, Touma. I should be heading home."

A look of surprise crossed Touma's features before his eyes narrowed in worry, "Are you okay?"

Mikoto brushed away his concern with a bright-_fake-_smile, "Yeah, of course. I'm great."

"Hmm…" Touma gazed up into the clear blue sky for a moment as if contemplating something before looking down at her curiously, "That girl with Shirai sure was pretty. Do you think they're dating?"

Touma felt a drop of sweat slide down his cheek as Mikoto's fingers curled into fists, involuntarily crushing the cone and getting ice cream all over her hand and down her blazer jacket in the process.

"Shit." Mikoto quietly cursed as she dropped the pieces onto the ground before covering her eyes with her dry hand, "shit."

_Stupid, stupid, _she glared unseeingly at the ground, _why am I being so stupid?_

Touma felt a prickling of concern enter his heart at Mikoto's strange behavior, "Mikoto…" the tone surrounding the call of her name was gentle. He placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Mikoto stiffened from his touch before relaxing and releasing a soft sniffle, "Shut up. Don't say anything."

"You're jealous," a smile played on Touma's lips when Mikoto reddened before looking away indignantly, "wow, you're really jealous. Does Shirai know that you-"

"I said shut up!"

Touma lifted his hands defensively as a few sparks erupted from Mikoto's temple; he took a cautious step back, "Ano, Misaka-san…?"

Mikoto huffed as she collapsed on the bench behind her before covering her face with both hand, "I'm not jealous."

And she wasn't, she couldn't be. Admitting that she was jealous would mean that there was something to be jealous _of _and there was no way that Kuroko was interested in that other girl over _her_. She was Misaka Mikoto, #3 Level 5 Electromaster. The Railgun. There was no way that Kuroko would choose anyone over her.

Red shaded her cheeks at that thought because for fucks sake why did she even _care? _Sure Kuroko was her best friend and partner but that's all she was. There was no way in hell she was jealous.

So why in the world was she obsessing over this? Besides, wasn't Kuroko supposed to be in love with her? She had nothing to worry about.

_Wait…nothing to worry about? Why would I worry in the first place!? GAH THIS IS SO STUPID. _Mikoto gritted her teeth before standing quickly, "I'm going to the arcade!"

Touma who was watching her grow angrier each passing moment jumped at her sudden movement, "uh, what?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm in the mood to play some games so I'm going to the arcade," Mikoto repeated with a frown, "Are you coming or not?"

"That depends, are you going to electrocute the games-" he held up his hand automatically to deflect a sudden electric shock before looking down at his slightly shaking palm with a pale expression. It had been a while since Mikoto had last tried to electrify him and it was not a feeling he had missed.

He leveled her with an uneasy stare, "Maybe you should go by yourself…"

"Wha-Touma!"

He sighed as he shook his hand before placing it in his pocket and turning around. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head at Mikoto tiredly, "I understand that you're not ready to admit your feelings but I won't be your punching bag, Mikoto. Call me when you're ready to admit what we both know," he finished with a smile and a wave of his hand.

She gaped at his words before growling and releasing a stream of electricity his way which he dodged at the last minute. Unfortunately it headed towards a few security bots.

"Oh no."

"Uh oh…" Mikoto laughed uncomfortably when the security bots malfunctioned and ran into one another. There was a moment of silence where Touma and Mikoto stared at each other with a look of horror on their faces before a beeping noise sounded in the air.

"Message, Message. Error No. 100231-YF. Offensive electromagnetic waves in violation of the radio laws detected. System malfunction detected."

"Shit," they murmured at the same time before jumping when the security bots began sounding a high pitched alarm before jolting up and spinning around.

"Security threat located. Initiating defense protocol."

"Damn it, Mikoto! Every time!" Touma shouted as he began running away from the bots that were now chasing him, with Mikoto following close beside him.

"Shut up!" Mikoto huffed as she ran next to him, shaking her head in the process, "I know! Shit! I know!"

x

_August 7__th__, 12:04pm_

_I cannot believe they tricked me! _Kuroko's face was glum as she stared at the card in her hand before looking up at the movie theater in front of her. Earlier that day she had managed to track down some supposed friends of the criminals she was searching for and after some _persuasive _tactics, had managed to convince them that cooperating was in their best interest. They then gave her the address to what she thought was the criminal's headquarters but turned out to be a dead end.

More specifically, a movie theatre in a district she had never personally been to but heard was quite popular. She released a tired sigh before stuffing the piece of paper in her pocket. _No matter. I'll reconvene with Uiharu and then-_

"Shirai-san!"

Kuroko frowned at the interruption of her thoughts and turned in the direction the voice called from. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who it was, "Ah, Mikami-san."

Mikami Azusa was a Level 4 Pyrokinetics in her grade. Though they had only had a few conversations, Kuroko had noticed the other girl's eyes tended to drift towards her chest more often than not. Which was understandable since she had finally grown into her personality after all these years.

Mikami-san came to a stop in front of her and graced her with a wide smile, "I never expected to see you here, Shirai-san. What are you doing?"

Kuroko returned Mikami-san's smile with a tired stare, "As you can see from the badge attached to my arm, I am on official Judgment duty."

"I see, patrolling for bad guys," Mikami-san nodded thoughtfully, "I never had the chance to say this before but I think it's great what you all do for our city."

"...really?" Kuroko was surprised to hear that; usually the other girls at the academy simply scoffed or gave condescending giggles whenever she mentioned she was a part of Judgment. This was a nice change.

"Yep," Mikami-san's eyes softened, "You're amazing, Shirai-san."

Kuroko eyes widened once more at the compliment before she quickly straightened her features, "ahem," she coughed lightly, "thank you, Mikami-san. We of Judgment always appreciate the support..." she trailed off when the piece of paper from earlier fell out of her pocket and onto the ground. She sighed before leaning down to pick it up only to have Mikami-san beat her to it.

"Mikami-san-"

"Hey, I know where this is," Mikami-san smiled brilliantly as she stood up from her crouch, "yeah, it use to be right where the movie theatre is but it relocated. Are you looking for it because I can give you the new address."

Kuroko blinked in surprise before smiling, "Yes, thank you! That would be of great help," she pulled out a notepad and a pen from her pocket and listened intently as Mikami-san described the building she was looking for along with the new address.

"Once again, thank you very much, Mikami-san," she felt a lot better than she had a few minutes ago, "with this we're one step closer to closing the case."

Mikami-san continued to smile, "No problem, Shirai-san. I hope you get your bad guy."

Kuroko thanked her again before turning to teleport away only to be stopped by a hand on her wrist. She looked back towards Mikami-san curiously, "Yes?"

"I was just," Mikami-san blushed a little, "I was wondering if you, ah, maybe would want to go out sometime?"

Kuroko blinked, "Like a date?"

"Yeah..."

Kuroko swallowed, "ah..." she lowered her eyes to the ground, unsure how to answer and completely caught off guard. This was the first time someone had expressed an interest in her and it was so unexpected that she was rendered temporarily speechless.

However, no matter how unrequited her love was, her heart belonged to Mikoto and there was nothing she could do to change that, "I am flattered, Mikami-san, however I must decline. I'm in love with someone else."

"I know," Mikami-san released her wrist, not appearing to be the least bit put off despite the rejection, "But I figured it wouldn't hurt to try."

"I am sorry..."

Mikami-san smile grew as she shook her head slowly, "No need to apologize, Shirai-san, you can't help who you love right? Anyways, I hope we can be friends."

Kuroko smiled a little, relieved at the easy acceptance, "Perhaps."

There was a long silence before Kuroko leaned forward to kiss Mikami-san's cheek; it was a tiny bit of an apology and thanks for earlier.

"I really must be on my way now," Kuroko stated as she moved back, "take care, Mikami-san."

"See you at school, Shirai-san."

Kuroko teleported away with one last glance behind her.

x

_August 7__th__, 6:43pm_

By the time Mikoto got home that night she was exhausted. After barely escaping from the cleaning bots-_Touma had ditched her half way through the chase-_Mikoto went to the arcade to release some of her frustrations and the stupid ideas he left in her mind.

It helped her forget for a while before she remembered what it was she was so upset about and nearly electrocuted the punching machine she was mercilessly pounding on. She then wandered around the city with an aura of anger surrounding her that was so noticeable that even the delinquents that would normally try and hit her up gave her a wide berth.

She had somehow ended up at the park where she sat on the swings for an hour simply thinking and despairing over the emotions that ran rampant in her heart before she was distracted by some of the neighborhood kids that accidentally launched a soccer ball at the back of her head.

After playing with them for a while she finally decided to head home when she noticed that the last bus had headed out which meant she had to walk. Though this was a huge inconvenience, it gave her more time to think and when she made it home she had calmed down a little.

_Kuroko can do whatever she wants, it's got nothing to do with me, _Mikoto closed her eyes as she entered through her front door, carefully depositing her shoes onto the shoe rack before slipping on her slippers, _However, I should check out who this other girl is. Kuroko is my best friend, I have to protect her…_

Her thoughts trailed off as she walked into her living room and noticed Kuroko curled up on the couch. Brows furrowing in concern, Mikoto unhesitatingly moved over towards her kouhai and crouched down.

"Kuroko?" she frowned at the lack of response before she reached over to place a hand on Kuroko's shoulder and gently shake her.

"Onee-sama…"

A blush rose to Mikoto's cheeks at the soft murmur of her nickname and she was about to answer only to pause when she noticed that Kuroko was still asleep. Mikoto was suddenly reminded of the fact that Kuroko had barely gotten any sleep for the past few nights because of the case she was working on.

Her eyes softened as she smiled before sitting on the floor so that her back leaned against the couch. She sighed as she gazed up at her ceiling.

It had been a while since she and Kuroko had last hung out together without any interruptions and though she probably wouldn't admit it to her, Mikoto missed her best friend.

But more importantly, she was worried about her; Mikoto looked back at Kuroko with another frown,_ She's running herself ragged trying to solve this case. It would be a lot easier if she just asked me for help that way I could take care of this and she could stop working herself to the point of exhaustion._

Mikoto stood after a minute before wiping her hands on her skirt and turning around so that she could pick Kuroko up in her arms.

The younger girl was surprisingly light and Mikoto was reminded of the last time she carried Kuroko like this was when they were in Liberty Arts city. Kuroko had ended up getting hurt-_which Mikoto blamed herself for of course-_and she had to figure out a way to get them both back safely considering the fact that they were over a large body of water with no means of transportation.

She was lucky she was able to calculate the particles in the air so that she could create those makeshift, unstable wings that flew them to safety.

Kuroko felt even lighter than she had three years ago and Mikoto felt her heart twinge in worry. _Even after all these years she still doesn't know how to moderate herself. How did I get stuck with such a stupid kouhai. Really, making me worry like this..._

"...Onee-sama…" Kuroko practically buried herself in her chest and Mikoto released a short, unsteady breath at the unexpected contact. Her ears burned a little as she walked them over to Kuroko's bedroom door.

She grimaced when she saw that the door was closed.

_Damn it, if I put her down I might wake her up and then she'll insist that she's fine and work more but I can't open the door with her in my arms!_

Mikoto thought about using her electricity to force the door open but figured that would make a lot of noise too. She sighed before reluctantly looking at her door which was across the way.

…_I'll just sleep on the couch tonight and she can have my bed. She should be able to have a least one decent night sleep._

A couple of years ago Mikoto would have _never _allowed Kuroko to sleep in her bed with her permission but they had both grown up a lot in that time and she knew Kuroko wouldn't do anything weird to it.

After a few minutes Kuroko was tucked in and comfy. Mikoto had managed to take off the younger girl's skirt, ribbons and blazer but did no more than that. Though this wasn't the first time she had helped the younger girl change, she couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed, more so than if Kuroko was actually up and teasing her.

She allowed her eyes to roam over Kuroko's vulnerable form-_specifically on her exposed stomach seeing as the shirt had ridden up a little-_and felt something inside her clench. She gritted her teeth.

"Mou, what is wrong with me?" Mikoto massaged her temples and forced herself to look away. Her face was hot, her hands were clammy and slightly shivering and her chest felt tight, like something was constricting her airway.

She took a deep, sobering breath before tentatively looking at Kuroko again. Kuroko's features had smoothed out in her sleep and her face was relaxed, devoid of the usual mischievousness and seriousness that Mikoto was use to seeing.

The younger girl's skin looked soft and not for the first time, Mikoto noticed how…pretty her kouhai was. No, beautiful. Kuroko was beautiful, especially with her hair down like that and-

Her eyes widened when she realized where her thoughts were heading. She nearly held her head in frustration, "Stupid Touma and his stupid suggestions putting stupid ideas in my head."

Mikoto glowered as she clenched her fist, willing the strange thoughts to stop.

"Mm, I love you…Onee-sama…"

Mikoto's breath caught in her throat at Kuroko's mumbling and her mind momentarily went blank before her cheeks lit up. She covered her mouth to stop the sound that wanted to escape before running out of the room, nearly tripping on her feet.

She did however bang her knee on the coffee table as she made her way into the living room and collapsed on the couch.

This time she did hold her head as she sunk into the cushions. Her heart was beating hard in her chest and she felt like she was going to pass out any moment as she replayed Kuroko's words in her head over and over again.

Though she _knew_ that Kuroko was in love with her, actually hearing it was a different story. She thought she would feel freaked out but the only thing that was coursing through her at this moment was warmth.

She gave herself a few minutes to calm her racing heart before sitting up and leaning back against the cushions tiredly. She swallowed after a moment before reaching into her blazer pocket and pulling out her phone.

Mikoto closed her eyes with a pained expression as she hit speed dial and held the phone up to her ear. She only had to wait a few seconds for the person on the other end to answer before saying, "You were right."

There was a moment of confusion on the other line before Mikoto took a deep breath before timidly repeating herself, "You were right, Touma," she looked over towards her bed room with a frown, "I was jealous and I think…" she returned her gaze to the ground, "I think I might like her back."

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ALSO. Would just like to point out that Mikoto does curse a lot in the novels (in the Railgun side of things not Index because in Index she's like a completely different person)


	3. Chapter 3

What can I say? You folks are so great really really really great thank you so much for the support I really appreciate it : ). I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Short chapter sorry but I wanted to get something out there! Last night's episode of Railgun S was so good lordddd. The flashback is over so we're back to where we started. Please R&R!

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_August 15__th_

_A certain restaurant with a certain pair of friends_

Mikoto returned from her memories with a sigh as she lifted her head from the table, "What should I do? I'm not cut out for this kind of thing, Touma."

Touma frowned at her downcast expression, "it's obvious what you should do isn't it?" he asked as he gazed at her imploringly.

She looked up at him miserably, "and what's that?"

He shook his head with a small smile, "C'mon, Mikoto's it's not that hard," Touma wiggled his finger as a grin spread out on his face, "Look, I'll give you Kamijou-san's patented method in getting a girl to forgive him despite his misgivings—"

"Oh," Mikoto scowled at him, "you mean your unfathomable ability to walk in on a girl while she's changing despite all the warning signs?"

A blush rose to Touma's cheeks as he sputtered, "It's not like I mean to!" before banging his hands on the table.

Mikoto slowly looked to the side with an unamused expression, "oh? Is that all? And here I thought you were just a pervert."

"Look, do you want my advice or not!?"

Mikoto sighed before returning her gaze towards him and mumbling a reluctant, "please."

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_August 15__th__, 7: 28pm _

_Mikoto's and Kuroko's apartment. _

"I'm home."

Mikoto's ears perked up as Kuroko's voice rang out through the apartment. Her heart fluttered in her chest as butterflies erupted in her stomach from nerves. However, despite all this, she managed to keep her smile tame as she turned to greet Kuroko.

"Hey…" she trailed off, a frown pinching her features when she took in Kuroko's haggard expression and gaunt appearance. Her brows knit in concern as her kouhai tiredly returned the greeting before collapsing in a seat at the dining room table and laying her head down.

"You okay?" Mikoto scratched her cheek as she set the dish she had prepared for dinner down. After parting ways with Touma—_who had given her some sound advice despite his own shortcomings when it came to relationships_—she had headed home in order to cook an apology dinner, making sure to prepare Kuroko's favorite dishes in an effort to show how sorry she was without actually having to apologize.

Despite acknowledging the fact that _yes _she did have some feelings for Kuroko, she still wasn't good at this sort of thing and felt awkward whenever she thought about it.

"After I left there was another case," Kuroko mumbled as she slowly straightened up before resting her palm on her cheek, "then I had to deal with a _mountain _of paperwork detailing the incident today with that group of delinquents you punished," she sighed tiredly, "honestly, Onee-sama, though I say this often, I _truly _wishedthat you would refrain from such course of action. It would make my job a lot easier, you know."

Mikoto gritted her teeth at that before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Touma suggested that she be more honest about her feelings and this was her chance. She pulled out the chair next to Kuroko and sat down before clearing her throat.

"I, uh, I'm sorry. About before."

Kuroko blinked, her mouth dropping open in surprise at Mikoto's words. Mikoto lifted her eyes from the designs on the tablecloth and blushed as she registered the look of shock on her kouhai's face. She bit her lip before looking away.

_Be honest…_

"I know I'm always...butting in on your Judgment work," she continued awkwardly, scratching the back of her head in an uncomfortable matter, "and it sometimes causes more problems," the blush slowly rose as she stumbled on her words, "b-but, you know, I'm just trying to help out and stuff."

"Onee-sama—"

"You've been so tired lately and you're hardly ever home and when you do get home you just crash on the couch and—" she paused to swallow before forcing the rest of the words out, "I— I was worried and wanted to—" she lowered her head once more, "I miss you and I just wanted to take care of it for you…"

She trailed off, her heart pounding in her chest at a rapid rate. Her skin felt clammy and her stomach curled with nausea as her ears burned. She felt really embarrassed and a part of her wanted to take the words back but at the same time she was just happy she was able to get it out there.

After a few minutes of silence Mikoto tentatively glanced over at Kuroko and was surprised to see a blush shading usually pale cheeks. She opened her mouth to ask if she was alright only to falter when familiar arms wrapped themselves around her neck.

Her heart lurched as Kuroko settled in her lap and rubbed their cheeks together; "Kuroko—" she squeezed her eyes shut as she soaked in the younger girl's warmth, enjoying the feeling of her kouhai's weight on top of her. She took a deep breath before mumbling, "stop it…" weakly

"How can I stop when Onee-sama is being so cute," Kuroko sighed as she smiled against her skin, "Though I know you care about me, hearing you say it is in such a way is quite…wonderful."

"It's no big deal," Mikoto looked off to the side as she puffed her cheeks, "hey, haven't you had enough of this already? Get off."

"Please allow me to enjoy this bashful Onee-sama for just a bit longer," Kuroko's smile brightened as she sunk further into Mikoto, "I had a long day and I just want to spend time with you."

Mikoto's chest tightened as she lowered her head on Kuroko's shoulder, "Can't we spend time together in some other way?" she mumbled, "This is embarrassing."

"Ahh~" Kuroko threaded her fingers through Mikoto's hair, "Onee-sama is so cute," a smirk played on her lips as she pressed her nose against Mikoto's temple, "While I appreciate your concern, you should not worry so much, Onee-sama. You'll develop wrinkles at this rate."

"Shut up, I was reluctant at first but now I think you should really get off me," Mikoto's easy temper flared at Kuroko's words before deflating a little at the soft giggle the younger girl released.

"Even if your entire body was covered in wrinkles I'd still find you beautiful, Onee-sama. I was simply suggesting it for your sake…"

They both knew that was a lie. Misaka Mikoto's overprotective nature had made itself more known as the years had gone by and Mikoto knew that part of the reason why Kuroko kept her injuries and troubles to herself so often was because of her fear of Mikoto completely losing it.

And she would without a doubt. After Kuroko nearly dying on more than one occasion…yeah she may not be very good with her emotions but she could admit this—she would protect Kuroko even if it costs her life. She needed her—she needed her so much and the idea of having to live without her was almost too much to bear.

Kuroko smiled down at her softly, almost as if she could read Mikoto's thoughts. She closed her eyes as she rested her cheek on the top of Mikoto's head and ran her fingers through silky brown strands. This was the reason why she kept her problems to herself—in an effort to keep this wonderful, sweet and shy girl out of this bloody all for grabs world, she would do whatever necessary. She didn't want to burden Mikoto any more than she had to and every inch of her wished that Mikoto would simply enjoy a peaceful life without willingly jumping into the fray.

"I love you…" she whispered against Mikoto's hair, so softly that she was sure that Mikoto didn't hear her before she tightened her arms around Mikoto.

Mikoto sighed as she gripped the bottom of the chair tightly in an effort to keep her hands to herself before leaning further into Kuroko and nuzzling her neck. The low mewl that sounded in her ear made her faint and her body felt warm. She wondered what kind of noises Kuroko would make if she—

A blush erupted on her face as she pushed the chair back and stood up, the younger girl falling off of her and onto her ass.

The serene atmosphere was broken.

"D-dinner," she blurted out unceremoniously as she looked everywhere but Kuroko, who was gingerly sitting up while placing a hand on her back.

"Oww," Kuroko mumbled with a tear at the corner of her eye as she rubbed her ass delicately, "you could have been a bit gentler Onee-sama…" she pouted up at Mikoto before her eyes widened and she blinked at the distraught expression on Mikoto's face.

Mikoto ran a shaky palm through her hair as she looked towards the kitchen, "ah, I have to get the rest of dinner," she stuttered before turning and nearly running out of the room.

Kuroko watched her go with a frown.

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_August 16__th_

"Ugh," Mikoto walked down the sidewalk with her back hunched over and her arms hanging at her sides. She was completely and utterly exhausted and it was all Kuroko's fault. After they had eaten dinner—_which was spent in silence for the most part—_Kuroko had taken a shower and when she walked out of the bathroom she was wearing a new camisole and sleep set. Not only that, the younger girl's auburn hair was wet and cascading down her back, framing her features in such a way that made Mikoto's face hot and jaw tense.

She avoided Kuroko for most of the night which, believe her, was not an easy thing to do before retiring to her room and curling up in her sheets. She awoke at 1 a.m. after a particularly vivid dream involving her kouhai and since then had been unable—_unwilling—_to fall back to sleep out of fear.

_What's wrong with me? _Mikoto wondered as red shaded her cheeks; _it was never this bad with Touma. _

A frown made its way to her face as she stared at the sidewalk sadly. It was so confusing. Her feelings for Kuroko made her stomach ache and her entire body warm. Her hands would always shake from the effort it took for her to not touch her kouhai and she could barely look at her without blushing.

She just wished she understood what was happening to her.

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	4. Chapter 4

**A.N: Hello beautiful people! I just wanted to say thanks again for all the love and support. Really, it's because you all are so awesome that I was able to crank out this chapter super fast. And it's a decent length too unlike the last chapter heh. Honestly, your reviews are what keep me going. They're so nice and insightful and I absolutely adore the fact that you folks like the fic so much. I hope I continue inspiring such amazing words! That being said, I hope you all enjoy.**

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_August 16__th_

_1:03pm _

Mikoto sighed as she mindlessly flipped through the latest edition to her favorite on-going manga series. She thought that reading about Shoji's and Hikari's epic love story would make her feel better but it only served as a minor distraction before she was quickly overcome by her earlier thoughts.

She growled a little as she threw the manga back onto the rack before pressing her palm against her eye. She gazed unseeingly at the different magazines before taking a deep breath, closing her eyes and straightening up.

Releasing the breath she just inhaled, Mikoto blew a few strands of hair away from her face as she placed a hand on her hip and scratched her temple. She felt antsy, the lack of sleep making her irritable; she sighed again before reopening her eyes and tugging at her tie.

It was still early and she had barely been out for more than an hour but she already wanted to head back home. Kuroko was busy with another Judgment case—_which she promised not to interfere with this time—_and probably wouldn't be home until late which meant that Mikoto could go home and sleep without having to think about the fact that her kouhai was only a door away and if she really wanted to—_and, yes, she really wanted to—_she could see her.

Mikoto crossed her arms as she scanned the magazines and manga in front of her with a critical eye. Maybe she could find another distraction that would help ease the slight ache forming in her heart. She was saved from having to read through the summaries for the fifty books listed on the rack by a call coming in to her cell phone.

She reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out her signature Gekota phone—_limited 2.0 edition—_and held the device to her ear.

"Hello?" she answered without bothering to check the caller ID as she thrummed her fingers against a manga spine.

"_Yahoo, Misaka-san! Are you busy right now?"_

"Ah, Saten-san," Mikoto chose a book from the rack and pulled it out, opening it up to a random page. She flipped through it uninterestedly, "No, I'm free. Why?"

"_Well, I was bored and Kazari is busy with Judgment work. So I figured you'd have to be pretty bored since Shirai-san is with her. Do you want to go to Joseph's and get some lunch?"_

"Mm…" was Mikoto's noncommittal response as she continued searching through the manga before blushing when she stopped on a particularly graphic scene.

_Oh, Motoko, don't stop! _

_You feel so good, Yuri…_

She practically slammed the book closed when she realized what she was reading, her phone falling to the floor in the process. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest and she could dimly hear the calls of her name from Ruiko.

Mikoto gave herself a few minutes to calm her racing heart before gingerly—_as if she were afraid it would attack her—_ setting the manga back down and bending so that she could pick up her phone.

"I'll meet you at Joseph's in fifteen, Saten-san," Mikoto stuttered out before closing her phone and standing back up. She held the device loosely in her palms as she gazed at the manga she had just put down anxiously.

Though she had a vague notion of what BL was she had never seen any literature with two girls together other than the small glimpses that she caught every now and then from the magazines Kuroko kept in her room. She swallowed thickly before shaking her head.

_Now's not that time for this, _she gripped her phone tightly in her hand as she nodded determinedly, _I won't be defeated!_

Casting the manga one last curious glance, Mikoto slipped her cell phone into her pocket before turning and jogging out of the convenience store.

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"Misaka-san! Over he—eh, are you okay?"

Mikoto sighed as she dropped down into their usual booth and sprawled out onto the table. She glowered as she glanced up at Ruiko, "I just saw something that I'd rather not have."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, nothing," she sighed as she sat up and placed her palm on her cheek before looking out the window. Not a full minute passed before a cup of tea was set down in front of her. She turned and was met with a familiar smiling face.

"Ah, thank you, Akemi-san."

The waitress, Akemi-san, smiled as she dipped her head respectfully, "It's my pleasure, Misaka-sama. You've been coming here for so long—of course I'd know your order by heart."

Mikoto returned the smile as genuinely as she could manage before laughing and rubbing the back of her head, "well I always appreciate it," she lifted her cup and made of show of sipping before sighing in relief when Akemi-san the waitress finally left.

From across the table, Ruiko smirked at her mischievously, "As popular as always, huh, Misaka-_sama_?"

Mikoto grimaced before taking another drink, "I can never catch a break..." she grumbled irritably. Akemi-san the waitress was also Akemi-san the first year at Kirigaoka Girls Academy. That stupid Misaka Mikoto fan club had even followed her into high school and she had seen Akemi-san hanging out with a few of other girls in the club.

She sighed at her unsettling thoughts before returning her attention out the window, "I hope it doesn't rain," she glanced up at the sky in boredom, "it's a dreary enough day without."

"Wow," Ruiko watched her with a simple smile as she munched on her stick of pocky, "Talking about the

weather, huh? Has it really been that long since we hung out, Misaka-san?"

"Hm?" Mikoto tilted her head in confusion as she looked at Ruiko, "what—it hasn't been _that_ long."

"Only a few weeks!" Ruiko sighed dramatically, "Kazari and Shirai-san have been so busy with Judgment—I thought I'd at least have you, Misaka-san but you've been spending all your time with your boyfriend lately—well," Ruiko grinned, "not that I blame you."

Mikoto glowered as she lifted her cup of tea, "How many times do I have to tell you that Touma and I are just friends?"

"C'mon, Misaka-san, it's just me," Ruiko waved her hand with a flourish, "Unlike Shirai-san, I totally support your relationship. Not that I'm speaking badly of Shirai-san, but as someone who's _not_ in love with you I can say I support you 100%."

Pausing a moment, Mikoto lowered her cup before steadily meeting Ruiko's gaze, "Kuroko doesn't have anything to worry about because Touma and I are_ not_ together. Geez," she looked away with a huff, "is this what you three talk about when I'm not around? Kuroko doesn't need to be jealous so stop putting those ideas in her head and worrying her needlessly..." she trailed off at the Cheshire smile directed her way. She felt a bead of sweat slide down the side of her face and suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Oh~?" Ruiko held her palm up to her mouth as she grinned at Mikoto," You certainly are concerned with Shirai-san's feelings on this matter."

"O-of course I am," Mikoto stuttered as a blush dusted her cheeks before she lifted her cup in a slightly shaky hand, "She's my best friend s-so I'm just saying that—mou!" she slammed the cup back down on the table, "Why are we even talking about this! I'm not dating him so it's fine."

Ruiko chuckled, "okay, Misaka-san...anyways, are you ready for the new school term?"

Grateful as she was for the sudden change in topic, Mikoto wished that Ruiko had chosen a different subject. She sighed as she thought about starting her second year, her blush receding in the process.

"Yeah, I guess. It should be okay since I've already completed my first year. I was worried about Kuroko at first but she's taking summer classes so—"

"Eh, is that why she's always wearing her school uniform?" Ruiko blinked in surprise, "And here I thought you two just kept choosing these schools where you have to wear your uniform all the time because you don't own any other clothes."

Mikoto gritted her teeth, "Now, look here—" she paused before what was sure to be the beginnings of a long rant about how she had plenty of clothes but no real opportunities to wear them before sighing and taking a long sip of her tea. She knew Ruiko was just messing with her but still—it hurt a girl's pride a little.

"How about you, Saten-san?" she asked as she set her nearly empty cup down, "You're going to the same school Touma went to right? They have a pretty decent curriculum from what I remember..."

She _had_ briefly considered going to his school when she graduated middle school after all and once again she had to ponder on what the hell was she thinking when she was in love with Kamijou Touma. Giving up an enriching education in an attempt to get closer to a boy who would never return her affections? Geez. Talk about stupid.

Shaking her head to rid herself of _those _thoughts, she smiled as she caught the last of Ruiko's sentence.

"-actually am really excited. The uniforms are similar to Sakugawa's so it's kind of like nothing's really changed," Ruiko's lips drew up into a gentle smile, "Kazari really likes the campus and my other friends got accepted as well. I hope we have a lot of fun together."

Mikoto grinned along with her, "That sounds great, Saten-san. I'm sure you all will enjoy it."

They enjoyed a comfortable silence for a moment before dissolving into small talk for the rest of the hour.

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_August 16__th_

_8:26pm_

By the time she exited Judgment Headquarters, Kuroko was exhausted. HQ had conducted a random mock battle between the members and while she had utterly dominated her opponent—a level 3 ice user—she still received a few cuts and bruises in the process.

Add that to the lack of sleep and fact that she had only eaten a bagel in the morning, she felt tired, sore and hungry. She sighed as she rubbed at her head, feeling the makings of an oncoming headache.

"Shirai-san! There you are."

Kuroko grimaced as she turned towards her partner. Kazari had her hands on her knees and was breathing heavily from running after her, looking a little worse for wear but overall appearing okay. Enthusiastic, really. Which was a surprise considering Kazari had to face a level 2 speedster and had been promptly defeated in a manner of seconds.

_She really is more cut out for background work...__  
_

Kuroko let that thought occupy her mind for a moment as she placed her hand on her hip and gazed down at her partner disinterestedly.

"What is it, Uiharu?"

"Well," Kazari took a deep, steadying breath before straightening up, "I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat to congratulate you on your win!"

Kuroko's stomach rumbled at the mention of food, however, she shook her head before smiling softly at Kazari.

"While I appreciate the offer, sadly I must decline," she yawned a little, "I just want to go home and sleep."

"Oh..." Kazari appeared disheartened for a moment at that before she perked up and beamed at Kuroko, "Well, okay! Maybe we can do something fun this weekend? All of us since it's been a while since the four of us spent time together. We're both off, right?"

Kuroko's smile widened at the idea, "That sounds wonderful, Uiharu. I shall talk to Onee-sama about it when I get home."

Kazari was all smiles as they briefly discussed their plans before walking away, waving as she did so.

She watched her go with a small smile before sighing and turning around. Kuroko was too tired to teleport but the idea of having to walk was extremely unappealing. She was just about to suck it up and force herself to form the proper calculations needed in order to teleport when she spotted someone familiar walking down the street. She frowned when the person looked up and noticed her.

"Hey, Shirai! Is that you?"

Kuroko felt the urge to sigh once more when Kamijou Touma waved at her with a wide smile before making his way over to her. Though she no longer hated the man, she still couldn't help but feel a little bitter towards the person who took her Onee-sama away from her.

Whenever she thought that though she had to force herself to remember that Onee-sama was never hers to begin with therefore she had no reason to be upset. That didn't change the fact that she _was_ though.

She smiled at her best friend's supposed boyfriend politely, "Good day, Kamijou-san. It has been ages since we last saw each other. Are you well?"

Touma stopped in front of her and gave her his signature grin, "I'm pretty good, Shirai. I was just doing some shopping," his clear eyes widened in concern as they scanned her features, "whoa, are you okay?" He placed his palm on her forehead, "you don't look so good, Shirai."

Kuroko glowered as she resisted the urge to swat his hand away. She hated how casual he was in addressing her and she especially hated how he thought it was okay to interact with her in such a friendly manner.

She gazed up at him unimpressively, "My, what will Onee-sama say if she catches you giving another girl this kind of attention?"

Touma blinked at her in surprise before dropping his hand, "I don't think she'd care very much," he answered in a confused voice.

Kuroko gritted her teeth as she glared at the man, cursing his insensitivity. Onee-sama would definitely care! Was he not the one she loved? She would be upset to see him giving another girl such careful attention.

Not for the first time, Kuroko wondered what Onee-sama saw in this normal, unordinary person. He may have saved her life a few times but she would never see him as anything other than unworthy.

"Ahh...do you think Mikoto and I are dating?"

Kuroko was pulled from her thoughts at that question, her brows knitting together in confusion as she returned her eyes to him.

Touma leveled her with a pitying look as he raised his hands in defeat, "I don't know what stories you've heard but Mikoto and I are not together."

Her frown deepened. So for nearly two and a half years he's been dismissing her Onee-sama's feelings? What kind of insensitive—

She took a deep breath before gazing up at him in disapproval, "You are aware of how she feels for you are you not?"

"How she feels for me?" He asked with a slight tilt of his head.

"Yes," annoyance was bubbling up in her at his ignorance. Did she really have to spell it out? "Onee-sama has romantic feelings for you."

His response was not the one she expected.

Touma burst out laughing at her words, even holding his stomach from how amusing he apparently thought her Onee-sama's feelings were. Her dislike of him continued to grow.

She closed her eyes as she waited for him to finish.

Touma took a deep breath as he released one final chuckle before shaking his head, "Wow, I needed that. Trust me, Shirai. I'm not the one Mikoto loves."

Kuroko's brow rose at that statement, not believing it for a second, "If not you then who?"

He shrugged before reaching over to pat her head, "You'd have to ask her yourself. It's not my place to tell. In the meantime, allow Kamijou-san to drive you home. My car is just parked over there and you look too exhausted to walk."

Kuroko batted his hand away with a scowl, "I can manage on my own thank you very much—hey! Unhand me this instance!"

Touma had grabbed her arm loosely with his right hand so that she couldn't teleport and began walking her towards his car.

"Believe me, Shirai normally I would take your word for it but if something were to happen to you that I could have prevented, Mikoto would _kill_ me and I've had just enough electric shocks to last me a life time."

She glared at him darkly before sighing and allowing him to pull her.

She especially disliked his 'chivalrous' side.

Ignoring her annoyance for a moment, Kuroko frowned as she thought about Touma's words.

_If what he said is true…then who is the one causing Onee-sama such grief?_

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_August 16__th_

_8: 58pm_

After reluctantly thanking Touma for the ride home, Kuroko entered her apartment with a tired sigh. She changed into her slippers as she loosened her tie and walked through the entry way. She had noticed that Mikoto's slippers were missing which meant that her Onee-sama was actually home at a decent hour.

"Onee-sama?" she called out to the older girl curiously as she headed into the living room frowning when there was no sight of the girl there or in the kitchen across the way.

_She must be in her room… _

Kuroko sighed, feeling a bit disheartened. She had looked forward to spending time with Onee-sama before bed too. She blinked in surprise before smiling softly when she noticed that dinner had been left out for her. Onee-sama had been cooking a lot lately something she really appreciated since she never really had the time anymore…though she did wish Onee-sama was awake so that they could share their meal together.

"Oh well," she sat down and unwrapped her food, "Itadakimasu."

.

.

.

Contrary to Kuroko's belief, Mikoto was _wide _awake. She had her arms crossed behind her head and was staring intently at the ceiling as she thought about her day. Mikoto sighed as she closed her eyes and turned on her side.

_This sucks…_She reopened her eyes as she picked at a loose strand on her covers sadly, _Kuroko… _

She didn't mind the lack of sleep if it meant she could actually see her kouhai. Mikoto thought that maybe they could at least have dinner together but when six and then seven o'clock passed she realized that that wish wasn't going to come true.

Mikoto turned onto her back once more and covered her eyes with an arm. She was pretty bummed to be honest. She wasn't kidding earlier when she said she missed her friend.

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the sound of her door opening or the gentle call of her name. What she _did _notice however was the sudden weight on her bed. She lowered her arm quickly and looked over at the spot next to her leg.

"Ku—Kuroko!" she sat up a little at the sight of the object of her thoughts, "you're back!"

Kuroko beamed at her widely, "I came home a little while ago actually. I was simply coming in here to thank you for the dinner though I figured you would be asleep."

"Ahh…" Mikoto rubbed the back of her neck as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment, "D-don't worry about it, it's no big deal. I just figured you'd be hungry and stuff…"

The younger girl held her hand up to her mouth as she released a small giggle, "Regardless, thank you, Onee-sama," she leaned forward teasingly until their lips were a few inches away, much to the distress of Mikoto who reared back.

"Geh—Not so close!" Mikoto shouted, blush deepening as she covered Kuroko's mouth with her palm. Kuroko pouted up at her cutely as she grabbed Mikoto's hand and pulled it away.

"Mou, Onee-sama, I only wanted to properly thank you," she mumbled as she held Mikoto's palm in hers.

"And you didn't think your words were enough?" Mikoto grumbled as she looked to the side. Kuroko giggled again, quite use to this behavior by now as she moved away from Mikoto and stood up.

She wiped her hands on her skirt before smiling down at Mikoto, "Anyways, Onee-sama, I only wished to say hi. I shall leave you be now. Have a nice night," she bowed her head respectfully before turning to go only to stop when she felt a hand on her wrist.

Mikoto was gazing up at her with an unreadable look in her eye before the older girl loosened the hold on her wrist and released her. A soft sigh escaped Mikoto as she scratched her cheek lightly, "You can stay if you want."

Kuroko's heart skipped a beat at Mikoto's bashful expression and she had to resist the urge to squeal and launch herself at the older girl since she didn't want to ruin this chance.

Be that as it may however, she couldn't help the mischievous words that exited her mouth.

"Ara, Onee-sama, does this mean we can sleep together tonight?" she smirked at her Onee-sama teasingly, "Kuroko has been wishing for the day Onee-sama willingly shared her bed for years!"

Holding her palms together, Kuroko beamed down at the older girl sweetly as she waited for Mikoto's reaction. She knew that what she said would ignite anger and embarrassment in the older girl but she always loved seeing Mikoto's shy nature taking a hold of her.

What surprised her was the fact that Mikoto only released a small sigh before briefly glancing down at her bed then back at her. Kuroko felt her breath catch at the expression on the older girl's face.

"That's fine. We can…for tonight," Mikoto rubbed the back of her neck tiredly as her eyes slipped close, "Touma called and told me how exhausted you were, "she opened one eye and gazed at her intently, "At least this way I'll know that you're actually getting rest instead of forcing yourself to work more. I can look out for you better if you're here with me."

Kuroko's chest tightened at the words that were spoken so nonchalantly but said volumes about Mikoto's concern for her. She licked her lips before nodding a little, "O-okay…ah, allow me to shower first."

"Sounds good," Mikoto sighed as she lifted her covers and turned around in her bed, "Just wake me up when you get back," she paused before looking over at Kuroko sternly, "And don't wear anything flimsy to bed please."

"Heh," Kuroko blinked back a few tears as she laughed softly and held her hand to her chest, "okay. I shall be back momentarily."

She exited the room before Mikoto had the chance to change her mind.

.

.

.

Though Mikoto appeared unworried in Kuroko's mind, inside she was freaking out. She gripped her covers tightly as she stared at the wall in panic. Her cheeks were bright red and she was shivering slightly at what she had just done. Why did she tell Kuroko she could sleep with her? Jesus! It's like she was just asking for something bad to happen.

A brief image of those two girls in that manga flashed through her mind before she shook her head quickly and squeezed her eyes shut. They—they weren't going to do _that. _They hadn't even kissed yet. Not that Mikoto wanted to kiss Kuroko—okay she did but she wasn't ready for _that _yet.

Mikoto held her hands to her head as she rolled around her bed, _Gah! Why did I tell her she could stay!_

Yeah.

There was no way she was getting any sleep tonight.

.

.

.

* * *

**A.N: Ah, Touma and Kuroko are my #1 favorite male and female characters in the series so it is so fun writing them together though I'm 100000000% sure Kuroko will never like him. Heh, that's okay though. Anyways I was really struggling with which high school Mikoto and Kuroko go to which is why I simply referred to it as the Academy until I chose one. From where I am in the novels there are currently three named prestigious schools in Academy City. Those are Tokiwadai Middel School, Kirigaoka Girls Academy and Nagatenjouki Academy. While I could have just made up a school for the sakes of this story I decided just to go with Kirigaoka. Now while Kirigaoka focuses on rare abilities I'd figure that they'd accept Mikoto considering the fact that she _is _Academy City's #3 level 5. So even though her abilities are common, the level of her ability is not. As for Kuroko, I'm under the impression that abilities like hers and Musujime Awaki's are not as common as others and therefore she would be admitted as well. PLUS the uniforms are just my style. Oh also Junior=second year, Sophomore=first year ahahahah. Anyways, until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey folks! Another chapter down! Been writing in my free time while watching Spartacus: Blood and Sand and freaking loving it so far. Also I just finished volume 22 of Index and have **_**finally **_**started New Testament. World War III arc is pretty much the best arc in Index IMO. As always, thank you for the support and lovely reviews, you know I always appreciate it. I hope you enjoy and please R&R.**

* * *

_August 16__th_

_10:11pm_

_Don't screw this up, Kuroko! _

Kuroko chanted that sentence in her head over and over again as she gazed at herself in the mirror intensely. She barely remembered showering or getting dressed, her mind consumed with the knowledge that in just a few minutes she would be sharing a bed with her Onee-sama.

Now this wasn't exactly a new experience for her since she had often snuck into Mikoto's bed many a time in her younger days but the fact of the matter was that it_ was _different. This was the first time Mikoto was _willingly _sharing her bed with her and at the older girl's suggestion too!

To say she was nervous was an understatement; she was terrified of messing this up. Mikoto was a relatively private person when it came to certain things and didn't often extend her trust in a manner such as this so she didn't want to ruin it by being too eager.

She frowned as she picked up her brush and began slowly running it through her auburn locks. That brought her to another matter; who exactly was Kamijou Touma talking about when he claimed that Onee-sama was in love with someone else? Was there another man in the picture that she didn't know about, someone who had earned Mikoto's trust?

It was certainly possible considering the amount of time Mikoto spent out late at night. Kuroko had no idea what her Onee-sama got up to during those evenings so it wasn't impossible to believe that maybe she was meeting up with a guy.

Sighing, Kuroko set her brush down and placed a hand to her chest. She closed her eyes as she bit her lip in an attempt to calm her aching heart. Even after all these years, the thought of Mikoto being with someone else still hurt though now she was use to the pain. It was more like a dull ache than the sharp stab it once was.

Though she behaved otherwise, Kuroko always knew that one day Mikoto would end up leaving her. In the older girl's eyes, she was nothing more than a kouhai, roommate and close friend. She would never win Mikoto's heart in _that _way and she had accepted that years ago.

She was still as in love with the older girl as she was when she was thirteen but now she knew better. She may occasionally tease Mikoto but she no longer acted like the crazed, jealous lovesick little girl that she once was. She _knew _better.

That's why whenever she briefly entertained the idea of them being together she immediately pushed those thoughts away. That's why when Touma had told her Mikoto was in love with someone else, she never once factored herself into the equation.

Kuroko released a light chuckle as she shook her head and closed her eyes, _besides, Onee-sama liking me back?...no way._

_._

_._

_._

In the other room, Mikoto was facing her own dilemma though it was by no means as serious as the one Kuroko was having. She sighed as she paced back and forth.

_What's taking her so long? _Mikoto scowled as she walked to the wall and then back towards her bed before repeating the process, _did she change her mind? Maybe she noticed how weird I was acting._

Mikoto paused in her stride, her foot tapping against the floor as she crossed her arms, _No, no if she noticed something she definitely would have commented on it. Gah! Why am I so nervous? _She held her head in her hands once more as she sat on the bed.

_Oh God, _she had a sudden realization, _I can barely keep my hands to myself when she's in the same room! What if I c-can't stop myself,_ her eyes widened at that horrifying thought as her jaw tensed, _w-what if she tries to k-kiss me?_

Mikoto covered her eyes as a blush rose to her cheeks, _I don't think I can handle this! I'm freaking out! I'm totally freaking out, this was a bad idea! _

"Onee-sama?"

She spun her head towards the door as her hands fell away from her face, her heart skipping a beat when she met Kuroko's confused gaze.

"K-k-kuroko!" she quickly jumped up from the bed and moved so that she was standing on the other side of her room before rubbing her sweaty palms together, "you're back! Did you have a nice shower?" she asked suddenly, hoping to distract Kuroko so that the younger girl wouldn't ask what the Hell she was doing a few seconds ago.

"Ah, yes, it was refreshing," Kuroko reluctantly answered before smiling and tilting her head curiously, "Not that I mind, but what happened to your pajama top?"

Mikoto blinked before glancing down at her plain white t-shirt and pulling at it nervously. The truth was that she had worked herself up so much that after a while her top had felt restricting and uncomfortable so she had taken it off until she was left in a simple t and her favorite pair of Gekota bottoms. Now she slightly regretted that decision.

"Um…I got hot," she scratched her cheek before taking a deep breath and returning her eyes to Kuroko only to blush when she finally noticed what the younger girl was wearing, "when did you get those?"

She was referring to Kuroko's pajama's which consisted of a pair of silky indigo and a matching camisole that she had never seen before.

Her eyes softened, _She looks so pretty—mou, get it together, Mikoto! _She rearranged her features so that her expression was fixed into her typical scowl.

Kuroko watched her in a mix of puzzlement and amusement before holding the edges of her camisole as if to show it off, "On my way home the other day I stopped by my favorite lingerie shop," she gave Mikoto a teasing smirk, "do you like it? It shows off my womanly figure quite wonderfully don't you think?"

"…it's alright, I guess," Mikoto mumbled noncommittally as she blushed, closed her eyes and walked over to her bed, "anyways, let's go to sleep."

"Mou, Onee-sama," Kuroko pouted cutely, "You're so mean."

"Yeah, yeah," Mikoto sighed as she sat on her bed before looking over at Kuroko, "are you coming?"

"My, isn't that a loaded question…"

"Gah—what are you even talking about! Get your perverted mind out of the gutter and just come to bed!"

.

.

.

"Honestly...you're always messing with me." Mikoto grumbled with a light blush as she looked off to the side, "you should really stop that you know."

Kuroko giggled as she slid into the bed next to Mikoto and wrapped her arms around one of hers. Eyes softening, she smiled at Mikoto gently, "I am always serious when it comes to you, Onee-sama."

Mikoto sighed but didn't bother arguing with Kuroko as she raised a finger to scratch her temple, "whatever you say..." Mikoto dropped her hand after a moment and leveled Kuroko with a serious look, "are you okay?"

Kuroko frowned a little at the unexpected question, "Of course I am, especially so now that I'm with you."

Mikoto's breath caught as a slow blush burned its way onto her face. Though Kuroko was always saying embarrassingly sweet things like that, lately it never failed to make her heart skip a beat.

She inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm her racing heart before releasing the air through her nose.

"I meant, are you feeling alright," Mikoto lifted her eyes from the comforter and back towards Kuroko, "Touma told me he ran into you and how tired you looked," her brows drew together, "Why didn't you call me to come get you?"

Puzzlement entered Kuroko's eyes at that, "Didn't Kamijou-san tell you he drove me home as well?"

"No..." Mikoto trailed off for a moment as she attempted to remember her conversation with Touma. All he had told her was that Kuroko didn't look so good but that she would be home soon so not to worry and run off looking for her. He never mentioned that he was taking her home.

She scowled a little as she thought about the fact that Touma had been alone with her kouhai. Though she knew there was no way that Kuroko would ever fall for him or any guy for that matter,it still irked her that he had been able to spend time with her when she could not.

There was a long moment of silence before Mikoto exhaled and maneuvered so that she was directly in front of Kuroko.

"Anyways, show me where it hurts."

Kuroko appeared taken aback at that request her eyes widening as a blush spread out over her cheeks before she grinned, "Ara, Onee-sama, I did not realize that you—"

"I'll stop you right there, Kuroko," Mikoto pinched the skin above her nose irritably before releasing a tired sigh and moving closer to the younger girl, "Show me."

The way Mikoto phrased the words the second time sounded more like a demand than a request and Kuroko found herself complying without hesitation. She gingerly lifted her camisole just over her navel, "It is not as bad as it appears…"

There were dark bruises of varying color spanning over the usually unblemished skin and Mikoto felt her chest constrict at the marks. She frowned before glancing up so that she could catch Kuroko's eye, "I'm not going to tell you to take it easy because I know you won't listen but…could you please...be more careful?"

"Onee-sama…"

Mikoto paused as she looked up towards the ceiling before swallowing thickly and mumbling, "I don't like seeing you hurt, Kuroko," she started before returning her eyes to Kuroko's, "I know you're the type who continues to rush in despite being injured and that worries me a lot. As your senpai…" her voice softened a little before she continued, "as someone who cares about you I just wish you'd take better care of yourself. Though you always seem to recover quickly, those visits to the hospital are not something I particularly enjoy."

Another moment of silence passed between them before Mikoto fell back onto the bed with an 'oomph' when Kuroko suddenly launched herself into her arms.

"Wah—be careful now! Aren't you really hurt? Calm down, you're going to strain yourself unnecessarily!"

"Onee-sama, Onee-sama," Kuroko closed her eyes tightly as she buried her face in Mikoto's neck, "Onee-sama."

"Yeah, I'm here, Kuroko," a tender smile played on Mikoto's lips as she wrapped her arms around Kuroko and held her close, "I'm here."

.

.

.

_August 17__th_

_7:32am_

Surprisingly, Mikoto barely had any wandering thoughts during the night which probably had a lot to do with the fact that she was too worried to actively think about how good Kuroko felt against her or how soft the younger girl's skin was.

Her eyes fluttered open as a few rays of sunlight hit her face, awaking her. Releasing a small groan, Mikoto rubbed at her eye tiredly before attempting to sit up only to falter when she noticed that Kuroko was still on top of her.

Smiling a little, she looked down at the younger girl and felt her heart swell at the content expression on Kuroko's face. She sighed before closing her eyes only to open them again when she heard a familiar ringtone.

She searched around blindly on her bed before picking up a tiny, compact phone and answering the call, "You've reached Kuroko's phone, Misaka speaking."

"_Ah, Misaka-san! Why are you answering Shirai-san's phone? You didn't kill her did you!?"_

Mikoto scowled at the accusation before huffing, "Kuroko is still sleeping and I just happened to walk past her room when her phone was ringing. I don't want to wake her so could you tell me what's up and I'll let her know?"

"_Oh, I see. Ahh, it's nothing much we just have to write a few reports today at the office. I could really use her help so even though you don't want to, could you wake her up and tell her to come in?"_

Mikoto considered Kazari's words for a moment. The idea of having to wake Kuroko up just when she was finally getting some rest unnerved her. What if some delinquents started trouble when Kuroko was too bruised and tired to fight back correctly? Though her kouhai was quite capable she knew that not even Kuroko could effectively stand up to multiple opponents when injured. And as much as she wanted to, Mikoto couldn't be around all the time to protect her.

At those thoughts, Mikoto made up her mind, "About that, Uiharu-san…Kuroko's not feeling too well so maybe we can make a compromise. How about you come over sometime during the day and you two work on the reports here? It's been a while since you've been over and I could make you guys some lunch while you were working."

She knew that if she simply told Kazari that Kuroko couldn't work that would upset her kouhai. Kuroko was stubbornly dedicated to Judgment and Mikoto knew that Kuroko would be angry with her if Mikoto let slip that she made the decision on her behalf without her consent. This way everyone would be happy.

Plus she knew that Kazari wouldn't resist the lure of free food.

"_That actually sounds wonderful, Misaka-san! I'll invite Ruiko-chan along as well so you won't be bored!"_

Mikoto smiled, "Great. I'll see you around noon then, Uiharu-san."

"_Bye, Misaka-san!"_

Hanging up the phone, Mikoto sighed as she set it down on the bed before running a hand through her hair and over her face. She was glad that worked out okay.

"Onee-sama."

"Hm?" Mikoto blinked as she gazed down at her kouhai curiously only to smile when she noticed that Kuroko was still sleeping. She gently squeezed the younger girl's waist to let her know that she was still there before closing her eyes, hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep before she had to entertain their guest.

.

.

.

_August 17__th_

_12:19pm_

"For goodness sakes, Uiharu, please moderate yourself," Kuroko grumbled as she lifted her chopsticks to her mouth and elegantly took a bite of her fish. Spread out before them were a various assortment of dishes all made by her Onee-sama and she had planned to savor every bite _which_ she could have done if she didn't have to worry about Kazari eating all the food.

She had been a bit surprised when she woke up and learned from Mikoto that Kazari would be bringing their cases by instead of her having to go to the office and though she appreciated the fact that she didn't have to get dressed and go out, she was curious as to what prompted the decision.

When she had asked Onee-sama about it, Mikoto had simply given her a vague answer before leaving to prepare their meal but not before Kuroko was able to spot the light blush that shaded her Onee-sama's cheeks. She realized then that it was probably Mikoto's idea and the older girl had once again been looking out for her. The knowledge of this made her feel warm and tingly inside.

"Wahh, but Shirai-san," Kazari whined with a small pout, "I haven't even had breakfast today!"

Coming back from her thoughts, Kuroko glowered a little as she set her dish down and leveled Kazari with a distasteful look, "Even so, a lady shouldn't behave in such a manner."

"I don't want to hear that from a panty snatcher, Shirai-san…"

"What was that!?" Kuroko hissed as she rose from the table only to stop when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Now, now," Mikoto's smiling face appeared in view as the older girl set another dish on the table, "there's plenty of food to go around so don't fight, okay?" she directed the last part of the sentence to Kuroko as she turned so that she could stare her in the eye.

They shared a meaningful gaze before Kuroko sighed and looked away.

In that moment, Ruiko slung her arm around Kazari's shoulders and grinned, "Misaka-san's right, Kazari! No need to get so worked up."

"Did you just take food right off my plate!?" Kazari practically screeched in horror, "You're the reason I go hungry, Ruiko-chan!"

"You know how poor I am, I have to get the protein when I can!"

Mikoto chuckled at her friends antics and sat down next to Kuroko. She felt a little nervous after last night and was slightly unsure how to act around the younger girl.

_I said so many embarrassing things…_

Still, Mikoto couldn't bring herself to regret the words that had left her mouth. She meant every one of them and if it meant keeping Kuroko safe, she would repeat them again, hundreds of times even. She sighed as she picked up a bowl of rice and prepared to eat only to pause when Kuroko moved closer to her.

Blushing a little, she did her best to ignore her kouhai's presence and focus on her food before sputtering when she felt soft lips press against her cheek.

"K-kuroko!" she held a palm to the burning flesh and reared back a little, "What are you—" she cut herself off when she noticed the expression on Kuroko's face.

Kuroko eyes sparkled with untamed warmth as the younger girl beamed up at her, "Thank you, Onee-sama."

Those words held so much weight and meaning that Mikoto couldn't bring herself to brush off Kuroko's words like she usually did. She licked her lips before returning the smile.

"You're welcome…"

Across the table, Ruiko watched the two with a curious gaze before interrupting Kazari mid rant and moving to whisper in the other girl's ear.

"Hey, aren't Misaka-san and Shirai-san acting a bit strange?"

Kazari frowned as she turned to look at the two before tilting her head, "They aren't acting any differently to me."

"Are you kidding!?" Ruiko whispered back excitedly, "There are practically hearts shining in both of their eyes! Do you think Misaka-san likes Shirai-san back?"

Kazari giggled a little, "if she did, wouldn't she have told Shirai-san already?"

"What makes you think she hasn't?" Ruiko asked curiously as she eyed her best friend skeptically, "For all we know they could be dating right now!"

"No way! If they were dating, do you think we'd be over here right now having lunch? Knowing Shirai-san, she probably wouldn't let Misaka-san out of her room, much less the house for days."

Ruiko grinned a little, "You've always had a dirty mind, Kazari."

"You're the one assuming I meant something perverted, Ruiko-chan."

The two girls giggled before Ruiko smiled at their friends, who were still lost in their own little world, "Maybe, I don't know! I still think it could be true."

"Mmm, who knows, Ruiko-chan," Kazari brought another mouthful of rice to her lips as she followed Ruiko's gaze and grinned around her chopsticks, "I suppose anything is possible…_especially_ when it comes to those two."

* * *

**AN2: So I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Writing Saten and Uiharu was a lot more fun than I first imagined when I was thinking about how the chapter would go. They're such cuties I swear. Also can we momentarily talk about last Friday's episode of Railgun S. "She's a bit special." Honestly J.C. Staff just lives to ruin me with MikoKuro goodness. Anyways, until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

_August 17__th_

_12:23 p.m._

Ruiko watched Mikoto and Kuroko with a dangerous glint in her eye before clearing her throat loudly and drawing their attention away from each other and onto her. She leaned forward on her elbows and smiled at Kuroko mischievously.

"So, Shirai-san….it's pretty amazing how you guys were able to solve the robbers case. How did you figure out where they were hiding out anyways?"

"From thorough investigative work, Saten-san," Kuroko stated with her head held high and a proud smile, "Thanks to the combined efforts of Uiharu and I we were able to finally solve the case."

"Hmm," Ruiko's smile grew in such a way that immediately made Kuroko feel wary. She gripped the edge of her pillow tightly as her shoulders drew together.

"What?" her eyes narrowed as she reached towards the table and carefully lifted her cup of tea.

Ruiko chuckled as she shook her head and leaned back on her palms, "It's nothing but—" Ruiko glanced at Kazari with a wicked grin, "Kazari, didn't you mention that you two received a tip from someone?"

"Ahh…" Kazari stared into Ruiko's eyes for a second before smiling around her fork and nodding, "Mhm. Shirai-san got help from someone she has class with."

"Wow," Ruiko whistled as maneuvered her body over the table and placed her chin on her palm, "that sure was nice of them. Are you close with this girl, Shirai-san?"

For some reason Kuroko felt a small blush burn its way onto her face but she covered it up with a scowl, "Not particularly."

"Well~" Ruiko tilted her head as a jovial grin spread out along her face, "Maybe you two can get to know each other once the school year starts?"

Kuroko frowned, suddenly knowing where this was going. She closed her eyes as a small huff escaped her, "I doubt we will get the chance. Mikami-san is only taking summer classes at Kirigaoka. I do not know where she will be attending high school."

Throughout the conversation, Mikoto was silent. She felt something heavy settle into her heart as her stomach swirled with unease. Glaring down at the floor, she released a small sigh before suddenly rising to pick up the plates.

"Ah, Onee-sama." Kuroko cut her discussion with Ruiko short and immediately turned her attention back towards the older girl when she noticed what she was doing, "I'll help with the dishes." Kuroko went to stand only to be held down by a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder.

Mikoto's eyes softened as she smiled at her, "Don't worry about it, Kuroko, I got it," she glanced over at the clock before returning her gaze to Kuroko's "You and Uiharu-san should get started on your paperwork though. It's getting late."

"Okay…" Kuroko frowned a little at the small glimpse of pain she caught in Mikoto's eyes but opted to stay silent for the moment. She would ask her Onee-sama about it later, when they were alone.

.

.

.

Mikoto sighed as she finished washing the last bowl and set it on the dish rack. She picked up a dry towel and used it to wipe her hands before throwing it over her shoulder. A grimace settled on her face as she thought about Ruiko's words.

The image of Kuroko and that other girl together played in her mind as she leaned back against the counter. In the past few days she hadn't had the chance to think about the encounter but it had all came flooding back in that moment.

She scowled to herself before looking off to the side, _Why am I so jealous over something so stupid? _her eyes lowered at that thought as she raised a hand to her chest, _am I really worried about Kuroko leaving me?_

Mikoto swallowed as she straightened up before running a hand through her hair, _C'mon, Mikoto. She's not yours to begin with, what are you saying?_

Though she thought that, another feeling instantly sprung up in her because in a way, Kuroko was hers.S She was best friend, her roommate, her partner; the person who was there for her no matter what, who knew her inside and out and never judged her—_though she would often comment on her 'childish' tendencies, she still accepted them—_and most of all, never made her feel so completely and utterly stupid like someone who would not be named.

For all intents and purposes, Kuroko always made her feel good. She made her happy and kept her sane. Mikoto honestly had no idea what she would do if she were to ever lose her. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach.

So consumed in her thoughts, Mikoto didn't notice that someone had joined her in the kitchen. It wasn't until she felt a finger poking into her cheek did she look up.

"Gah! S-Saten-san, what are you doing?" she stuttered as she gripped the rag tightly in her fist and held it up as if to defend herself before shifting to the side.

"Ehe," Ruiko grinned at her in a way that made Mikoto instantly on her guard and she moved back another step so that there were a few inches of space between them. Mikoto frowned as Ruiko lifted her hand to her chin and rubbed it lightly.

"Misaka-san, I have to ask you…how would you feel if Shirai-san got a girlfriend?"

Mikoto cringed a little, feeling uncomfortable; a light blush appeared on her face as she lowered the rag and gripped her elbow, "Um…haha," she suddenly laughed as she scratched the back of her head, "that would be a little weird," she smiled uneasily, "b-but as long as she's happy, that's all I care about. She's my best friend, you know?"

Ruiko gazed at her with an unreadable expression for a moment before blinking and releasing a small giggle, "Right, right, of course," she turned towards the sink and turned the water on before grabbing a paper towel and wetting it, "I don't think you have anything to worry about though," she patted her cheek with the wet cloth and released a soft sigh at the feeling.

Mikoto's arm lowered as she frowned, "What makes you think I was worried? I-I don't care if she dates someone else," she mumbled unconvincingly.

The edges of Ruiko's lips curled into a smirk as she turned her head towards Mikoto, "All I'm saying is that she loves _you_, Misaka-san. Even when we forgot all about you that one time, you still made her heart flutter. Mahh," Ruiko reached her hand out to pick up another paper towel and wipe her hands dry, "I hope to find someone who loves me that much someday," her eyes softened as she returned her gaze to Mikoto, "So, don't worry, Misaka-san. You'll always be the only one she wants."

Mikoto's breath caught at Ruiko's words; her throat tightened as red shaded her cheeks and she looked down towards her feet. She bit her lips to keep the smile that wanted to bloom on her face at bay.

Ruiko giggled again as she spun on her heel and headed back towards the dining room. However, before exiting the room, she smiled at Mikoto one last time.

"You should tell her," she stated with a wink and a wide grin, "or else someone might try to take her from you. After all, Shirai-san _is _pretty cute."

"Geh," Mikoto gritted her teeth at Ruiko's insinuation, glaring at other girl who left with a laugh.

Sighing, Mikoto collapsed against the edge of the counter. She felt exhausted all of the sudden. She closed her eyes as she considered Ruiko's words before smiling a little and reopening them.

"Thanks…Saten-san.

.

.

.

_August 17__th_

_6:14 p.m._

It was after dark by the time Kuroko and Kazari finished their paperwork. Both girls were exhausted and it definitely showed on their faces and in their body language.

Kuroko huffed as she sprawled out over the table, "It is ridiculous that those reports took us all day."

Kazari leaned her head against Ruiko's shoulder and sniffled before subtly glaring at Kuroko, "Well, if _Shirai-san _hadn't spent an hour arguing with me about one little detail…"

"Well, _excuse _me for wanting to make sure that everything was done correctly," Kuroko glowered as she sat up and returned Kazari's glare, "After all,_ I_ am not the one who shirks on their responsibilities—"

"Now, now," Mikoto placed her hand on Kuroko's head, effectively cutting her off short, before ruffling the soft auburn hair gently, "Let's just be happy it's finished right?"

"Yeah," Ruiko spoke up as she smiled at Kazari, "Don't fight, guys."

Kazari pouted a little before burying her face in Ruiko's chest and sighing, "Sorry, Shirai-san, I'm just tired."

Kuroko sighed heavily before crossing her arms and gazing off to the side indifferently. Despite her petulant expression, Mikoto couldn't help but smile at the fact that Kuroko listened to her without argument. Kuroko always listened to her, always trusted her…

_Aw man, I love her so much…_

A dark blush spread out on Mikoto's cheeks at that. She lowered her hand from Kuroko's head and brought it back to her side before clenching it into a light fist.

She bit her lip before looking down at her feet in embarrassment. Though she was aware of her emotions towards her kouhai, it had never felt so _raw _before. And over such a small thing too.

A dull sigh escaped her as her eyes narrowed, _what am I going to do?_

Ruiko had suggested that she confess before it was too late but she was so embarrassed. She thought back to Touma's words from a few weeks ago.

"_Even after all this time, you still refuse to be honest with yourself, Mikoto."_

But she could. She _would_. She would tell Kuroko how she felt. After all, Kuroko's been waiting for so long…she had to tell her.

Mikoto chanced one last glance at Kuroko—who was engaged in another debate with Kazari, this time less heated—before smiling softly.

_I swear…I'll tell her. _

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.

.

"Ah, it's so late," Mikoto commented off handed before blinking and smiling at Ruiko and Kazari, "You two should stay over. It's not safe for a girl to walk around late at night."

"Though you say that, I find it amusing that you are the one most inclined to do so, Onee-sama," Kuroko interrupted in a slightly chastising voice.

Mikoto's ears heated up, "H-hey, to this day, I've only met a few people who can take me on."

Kuroko eyed her with an unimpressed expression, "All I am hearing right now is that you are admitting that you are not invincible. Which only adds credence to my concerns that you should not be so hasty when—"

"C'mon, I can take care of myself and anyone who tries to get in my way."

Kuroko glowered as she moved forward until they were only a few inches away, "You wouldn't have to if you would just stop putting yourself in those situations."

Mikoto leaned even closer, her eyebrow twitching, "It's not like I ask them to attack me!"

"And that somehow justifies you scorching them into the ground!?"

"Um…"

"Hey…"

Mikoto and Kuroko ignored their friends and glared darkly at one another before Mikoto crossed her arms and huffed, "When did this turn into an interrogation, I don't have to explain myself to you."

For some reason, Kuroko's expression promptly shifted into one of amusement, "Though you say that you still end up explaining yourself anyways. Admit it, Onee-sama, you care what I think."

"Geh—" Mikoto appeared taken aback for a moment before growling and looking away, "W-well, if you weren't so annoyingly persistent I wouldn't have to."

Giggling, Kuroko smiled softly as she shook her head, "Whatever you say, Onee-sama. Whatever you say."

.

.

.

Across the table, Kazari slipped her hand into Ruiko's and squeezed it lightly. Ruiko tore her eyes from Mikoto and Kuroko before looking over at her with a confused smile. A smile which promptly shifted into a grin as she saw the mischievous glint in Kazari's eyes. They pressed their palms against each other under the table before laughing and returning their attention to their two arguing best friends.

* * *

**AN: I'll be ending the story soon. It was interesting writing this and the comments I received every chapter were very interesting as well. Not saying that I'm unable to come up with any new ideas or give this story a proper ending. The reasons I'll be ending it will be my own. Cheers**


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